Operating mechanism for a gas valve



Nov. 17, 1959 R. E. IMHOFF 2,912,831

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS VALVE Filed Aug. 27, 1956 26 INVENTOR. Fl 6.8- ROBERT E. IMHOFF BY I4 am, WMM

. ATTORNEYS United States Patent OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS VALVE Robert E. Imholr," Bedford, Ind., assignor to The Roberts Brass Manufacturing Co., Mitchell, Ind., a corporation of Michigan Application August 27, 1956, Serial No. 606,357

6 Claims. (Cl. 74-527) This invention relates to an operating mechanism for gas valves of the rotary plug type for controlling gas burners.

One object of this invention is to provide an operating mechanism for a gas valve of the rotary plug type for controlling gas burners from off to low (or simmer) to on (or high), which is composed of a relatively few simple parts and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for a gas valve of the rotary plug type which is easy to assemble and is practically impossible to assemble incorrectly.

A further object is to provide an operating mechanism for a gas valve as described above in which the movement of the valve to the low position is accompanied by an audible click.

Other objects and novel features of construction will become apparent as the following description proceeds especially when considered with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a gas valve embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of the gas valve shown in Fig. 1, with the apertured cap removed, and showing the rotary plug in the low or simmer position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view .taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 2, and showing the rotary plug in the high position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 on Fig. '2, and showing the plug in the low position.

Fig. 6 is similar to Fig. 5 and shows the plug in the off position.

Fig. 7 is also similar to Fig. 5 and shows the plug in the high position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 on Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 on Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 on Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, 10 is the casing, and 12 is the rotary plug. The casing 10 is a casting having a longitudinally extending tapered socket 14, an inlet passage 16 and an outlet passage 18. The inlet passage 16 extends transversely of the casing from the outer end of an exteriorly threaded laterally projecting nipple 20 to the socket 14, and the outlet passage 18 extends longitudinally of the casing from the bottom of the socket 14 downwardly through and to the lower end of a longitudinally extending exteriorly threaded nipple 22. The usual apertured cap 24 is threaded on the nipple 22. The cap 24 is removed in Fig. 2.

The rotary plug 12 includes a tapered plug body 26 and a stem 28 integral with the plug body and extending has a substantially D-shaped ice upwardly therefrom beyond the upper end of the casing. A suitable handle 30 is secured to the upper end of stem 28. Y

The plug body is tapered at the same angle as the socket 14 and has a close rotatable fit therein. The plug body 26 is formed with a longitudinally extending cylindrical chamber 32 Which is open at the bottom. for communication with the outlet passage 22 in all positions of rotation of the plug. Connecting into the upper endof the chamber 32 is a longitudinally extending passage 34 in the plug body which is of reduced cross-section relative to the chamber 32. This passage 34 extends upwardly into the stem 28 and connects into a longitudinally extending D-shapedchannel 36 in the stem, the channel being slightly larger in diameter than passage 34. 'It will be noted that the stemis also generally D-shaped and that the channel 36 is open along one side of the stem and extends entirely to the upper end of the stem.

A sleeve 38 is frictionally secured in the passage 34 and has a head 40 at the upper end which seats on the shoulder separating the passage 34 from the channel 36. The sleeve 38 is open at the lower end for communication at all times with the chamber 32 in the plug body, and the upper end portion of the sleeve is closed by the head 40 to close communication between the plug body chamber 32 and the channel 36 in the stem.

The plug body 26 has a lateral port 42 which extends from the tapered outer surface of the body laterally inwardly to the plug chamber 32, and in one rotative position of the plug the port 42 communicates with the inlet passage 16 (see Fig. 4). The plug body has an inclined passage 44 of considerably smaller cross-section than the port 42, the passage 44 communicating'at its outer end with the port 46 in the tapered outer'surface of the plug body. The inner end of the passage 42 com municates with the interior of sleeve 38 through a port 48 aligned with the inner end of passage 44. Thus in another rotative position of the plug body in which the port 46 communicates with the inlet passage 16, the body chamber 32 and hence the outlet passage 18 communicate with the inlet passage through the restricted or relatively small diameter passage 44 and port 48.

The rotary plug is shown in the OE position in Fig. 6in which neither port 42 nor port 46 is aligned with the inlet passage 16. This ofl? position of the rotary plug is determined by a stop washer 50. The stop washer inner edge and has a close sliding fit on the stem28. The'inner edge portion 52 engages the ends of the D of the stem to prevent relative rotation between the stop washer and the stem,

' 3 and the inner edge portion 52 is concave between the ends as shown at 54 to permit the insertion of a screw driver into the screwdriver slot 56 in the head 40 of the sleeve 38 to adjust the latter during assembly. The stop washer 50 has a laterally outward projection 58 engageable with the abutments 60 and 62 which extend upwardly from the upper end 64 of the casing and are formed integrally with the casing. In Figs. 6 and 9, the projection 58 is shown in engagement with the abutment 60 preventing further clockwise rotation of the plug 12. This is the off position of the plug, rotated about clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 3, in which neither port 42 nor port 46 communicates with the inlet passage 16. r

Fig. 5 shows the position of the rotary plug and the stop washer when the port 46 is in registration with the inlet passage 16 as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. In this position of'the rotary plug, gas is permitted to enter the outlet passage 18 from the inlet passage 16 through the relatively small diameter passage 44 and port 48. In

flow is permitted, and this is termed the low position of the plug.

Fig. 7 illustrates the high position of the plug in which it is rotated still further counterclockwise from the off position, the high position being determined by the engagement of the projection 58 on the stop washer with abutment 62, and in this position of the rotary plug, the port 42 is in communication with the inlet passage 16 as viewed in Fig. 4. In this position of the rotary plug, a relatively high volume flow is permitted from the inlet passage 16 to the outlet passage 18.

A click washer 66 is carried by the casing above the stop washer. The click washer has a. circular internal margin which loosely surrounds the stem 28 and is formed with notches 68 in its outer edge at opposite sides thereof which closely receive and embrace the abutments 6t) and 62 to locate the click washer angularly with respect to the casing and to prevent it from rotating.

The click washer is formed with a slot 70 which extends radially outwardly from the inner edge thereof. Referring to Figs. 5, 9 and 10, it will be noted that the stop washer 50 has a V-shaped portion 72 which pro jects toward the click washer 66 and which is registrable with the slot 70 in the click washer in the low position of the plug. A compression coilspring 73 encircles the stem between the plug body and the stop washer, its lower end pressing against the plug body to hold it in the casing and its upper end pressing against the underside of the stop washer. Hence when the plug is rotated to the Fig. position, the V-shaped radially extending projection or detent 72 will snap into the slot 70 with an audible click indicating that the plug is in the low position shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The plug can be rotated from the low position clockwise to the off position or counterclockwise to the high position by the application of sufiicient manual pressure to cam the detent 72 out of slot 70 against the action of the spring. The detent and spring are designed so that only a slight increase in pressure is required to cam the detent out of the slot.

It will be noted in Figs. 5 and 7 that the abutments 60 and 62 are not exactly diametrically opposite one another but are slightly offset. The purpose of this is to down on the abutments during the assembly of the cap on the casing.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism comprising a casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending beyond said casing, spaced abutments on said casing for limiting rotation of said stern between first and second positions, a stop member non-rotatably carried by said stern for sliding movement along said stem lengthwise thereof, an annular member on said casing encircling said stem at one side of said stop member, said stop member having a V-shaped detent on the side thereof facing said annular member, said annular member having a slot therein for receiving said detent in an intermediate rotative position of said stern for holding said stem in said intermediate position, a spring encircling said stem and urging said stop member into surface-to-surface contact with said annular member to resiliently press said detent into said slot with' an audible click upon rotation of said stem to said intermediate position and to enable said detent to move out of said slot upon application of sufiicient turning force on said stem, said annular member having notches therein embracing said abutments to locate said annular member angularly with respect to said casing, a cap on said casing, said annular member being held in assembled relation with said casing in opposition to said spring by said cap, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said notches registering with said abutments, whereby said annular member cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

2. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism cominsure that the click washer is properly assembled on V the casing, with the slot 70 positioned exactly as shown, and is not assembled on the casing in a position rotated 180 from that shown. However, the click washer may be turned over and assembled on the abutments with the notches '68 reversed, and the slot 70 will be in proper position since the angular distance between the slot 76 and each abutment is the same. The slot 70 must be precisely located in order to obtain an accurate position of the plug on low. The notches 68 in the click washer are of course similarly otfset to register with the abutments.

The click washer is formed with a second slot 76 in its inner edge. This slot performs no function insofar as the structure herein disclosed is concerned and bears no relation to the first slot 70, nor is it necessarily diametrically opposite the first slot. Slot 76 is intended for use with another construction of valve in which the click washer is employed, and has nothing to do with the present invention. It is apparent that if the abutments 60 and 62 were not offset, but instead were diametrically opposite, the click washer could be assembled in a position rotated 180 from that shown, in which position the detent 72 would cooperate with slot 76 to determine the low position. However, this situation could not be tolerated, since the slot 76 is not located to obtain an accurate position of the plug on low.

The click washer is held in assembled relation on the abutments 60 and 62 against the action of the spring by a cup-shaped cap 78 which is threaded onto the upper end of the casing. The base of the cap is formed with a central opening St) so that the click washer may be held prising a casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending beyond said casing, spaced abutments on said casing, a stop washer non-rotatably carried by said stem for sliding movement along said stem lengthwise thereof, said stop washer having a lateral projection thereon engageable with said abutments to limit rotation of said stem between first and second positions, an annular click washer on said casing encircling said stem at one side of said stop washer, said stop washer having a V-shaped detent on the side thereof facing said click washer, said click washer having a slot therein for receiving said detent in an intermediate rotative position of said stem for holding said stem in said intermediate position, a spring encircling said stern and urging said stop washer into surface-to-surface contact with said click washer to resiliently press said detent into said slot with an audible click upon rotation of said stem to said intermediate position and to enable said detent to move out of said slot upon the application of sufficient turning force on said stem, said click washer having notches therein embracing said abutments to locate said click Washer angularly with respect to said casing, a cap on said casing, said click washer being held in assembled relation with said casing in opposition to said spring by said cap, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said notches registering with said abutments, whereby said click washer cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

3. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism comprising a casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending from said casing, means providing spaced abutments on.

said casing for limiting rotation of said stem between first and second positions, a stop member non-rotatably car ried by said stern for sliding movement along said stern lengthwise thereof, an annular member on said casing nsi i s sa d stem a on si e f s d stop me e 2 of aid me b s h i a d t n an th other i s d members having a recess for receiving said detent in an intermediate rotative position of said stem for holding said stem in said intermediate position, a spring interposed between said stem and said stop member urging said stop member into surface-to-surface contact with said annular member to resiliently press said detent into said recess upon rotation of said stem to said intennediate position and to enable said detent to move out of said recess upon the application of sufficient turning force on said stem, said annular member having notches therein embracing said abutments to locate said annular member angularly relative to said casing, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said notches registering with said abutments, whereby said annular member cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

4. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism comprising a casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending from said casing, means providing spaced abutments on said casing for limiting rotation of said stem between first and second positions, a stop member non-rotatably carried by said stem for sliding movement along said stem lengthwise thereof, an annular member on said casing encircling said stem at one side of said stop member, one of said members having a detent and the other of said members having a recess for receiving said detent in an intermediate rotative position of said stem for holding said stem in said intermediate position, a spring urging said stop member into surface-to-surface contact with said annular member to resiliently press said detent into said recess upon rotation of said stem to said intermediate position and to enable said detent to move out of said recess upon the application of sufiicient turning force on said stem, said annular member having portions engageable with said abutments to locate said annular member angularly relative to said casing, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said portions of said annular member registering with said abutments, whereby said annular member cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

5. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism comprising a casing, means providing spaced abutments on said casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending from said casing, a member carried by said stem for rotation therewith, a second member on said casing cooperable with said first-mentioned member to hold said stem in an intermediate rotative position and being releasable when suflicient turning force is applied to said stem, said second member having portions engageable with said abutments to positively lock said second member against angular movement with respect to said casing, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said portions of said second member registering with said abutments, whereby said second member cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

6. Position indicating and determining mechanism for a valve operable by a rotary plug, said mechanism comprising a casing, a rotatable actuating stem extending beyond said casing, spaced abutments on said casing, a member on said stem rotatable therewith and engageable with said abutments to limit rotation of said stem between first and second positions, and a second member on said casing cooperable with said first-mentioned member to hold said stem in an intermediate rotative position and being releasable when sufficient turning force is applied to said stem, said second member having portions engageable with said abutments to positively lock said second member against angular movement with respect to said casing, said abutments being so spaced that the circumferential distances between opposite sides thereof are unequal, and said portions of said second member registering with said abutments, whereby said second member cannot be incorrectly assembled on said abutments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,666 Turner Oct. 20, 1942 2,590,550 Lamar Mar. 25, 1952 2,694,412 Jaros Nov. 16, 1954 

